International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge being awarded the Order of Friendship by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on 22 November 2011 at the Moscow Kremlin. (Photo www.kremlin.ru)

Manfred Schmidt, Head of the Department for Crisis Management of the German Interior Ministry, being decorated with the Order of Friendship by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on 13 October 2010 at the Moscow Kremlin. (Photo www.kremlin.ru)

The Order of Friendship (Russian: Орден Дружбы) is a state decoration of the Russian Federation established by presidential decree 442 of March 2, 1994[1] to reward foreign nationals whose work, deeds and efforts were aimed at the betterment of relations with the Russian Federation and its people. Its statute was later amended by presidential decree 19 of January 6, 1999,[2] presidential decree 1099 of September 7, 2010,[3] presidential decree 1631 of December 16, 2011,[4] and presidential decree 308 of March 16, 2012.[5] It can trace its lineage to the SovietOrder of Friendship of Peoples.

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The Order of Friendship is awarded to Russian and foreign nationals for special merit in strengthening peace, friendship, cooperation and understanding between nations, for fruitful work on the convergence and mutual enrichment of cultures of nations and peoples; for the active conservation, development and promotion of the cultural and historical heritage of Russia; for great contribution to the implementation of joint ventures with the Russian Federation, major economic projects and attracting investments into the economy of the Russian Federation; for broad charitable activities.[5]

The badge of the Order of Friendship is made of gilded silver and enamels. It is a pentagonal star created from diverging golden rays. On the obverse at the center of the star is a terrestrial globe, with the oceans covered in blue enamel. The globe is surrounded by a green enamelled wreath of olive branches. On the reverse is the inscription "Peace and Friendship" (Russian: "Мир и дружба") and the etched serial number of the individual award. The distance between opposite tips of the star is 44 mm.[1]

The badge of the order is connected by a ring through the suspension loop to a standard Russian pentagonal mount covered with an overlapping 24 mm wide green silk moiré ribbon with 6 mm wide light blue stripes along its edges.[1] When worn in the presence of other Orders and medals of the Russian Federation, the Order of Friendship is located immediately after the Order of Honour.[6]